Connecting-rod construction.



A. H. GIBSON.

CONNECTING ROD CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I8. I91].

Patented Mar. 18.1919.

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1 297 830 APPLICATION FILED APR. 18, 1917. P d M 1 1919 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ARTHUR H. GIBSON, 0F EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO INGERSOLL-RAND COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CONNECTING-ROD CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 18, 1919.

Application filed. April 18, 1917. Serial No. 162,879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR H. GIBSON, a suloject of the Crown of Great Britain, residing at Easton, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Connecting-Rod Constructions, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to reciprocating engines and in particular to an engine of this type operated by. an elastic fluid medium and having a plurality of cylinders.

While this invention is adapted more especially for multiple cylinder engines and especially to this type of engine having but a single crank, it may be used to advantage in engines having but a single cylinder and crank.

The objects of the present invention are to improve the construction of the connecting rods used in reciprocating engines having a plurality of cylinders to enable them to automatically adjust themselves for lost motion due to the wearing of the connecting rod bearing surface and the crank with which the connecting rods are in engage ment.

\Vit'h the above and other objects in view,

'I have devised a connecting rod construction.

a practical embodiment of which is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a cross sectional front view of an engine to which my invention has been applied,

Fig. 2, a side elevation, also shown in cross section,

Fig. 3, a front view of a connecting rod and take up ring as used therewith;

Fig. 4, a side view of the connecting rod and take up ring;

Fig. 5, a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a slight modification of my invention,

Fig. 6, a view similar to Fig. 2, showing a modified form of my invention,

Fig. 7, a view similar to Fig. 6, showing more completely the engine to which the present invention has been applied;

Figs. 8 and 9 show the valve driver which is also utilized to hold some of the parts of the present invention in position.

As shown in the figures, the construction comprises a frame or base 1 having a plurality of cylinder 2 in which operate single acting reciprocating pistons 3. In order to connect the pistons 3 with a crank 4, connecting rods 5 are utilized, the outer ends of which are rotatably mounted in the pistons 3 by means of wrist pins 7 extending through holes 6 in the connecting rod 5 and the other ends engage a portion of the crank 4. It will be seen from Figs. 1 and 2 that when the engine is in operation the connecting rods 5 are continually under compression, for the reason that pistons 3 in moving forward in their cylinders 2, hold the connecting rods 8 under compression, and on the reverse movement the crank 4 forces the piston back through the connecting rods 5. This is, of course, assuming that there is no inertia or centrifugal force taken into consideration. In order to hold the connecting rods 5 in close contact and engagement with the crank 4, two rings 9 are provided which fit over inclined portions of the crank end of the connecting rod 5, as shown most clearly in Fig. 4, the inclined section being shown at 10. In order to yieldingly hold the rings 9 in engagement with the tapered or inclined sections of the connecting rod 5 several short springs 11 are provided which are held in position by means of the flanges 12 of the rings 9. 5

From the present description it will be seen that as the bearing surface 8 of the connecting rod and'the crank 4 become worn, through repeated use, the springs 11 will contract slightly, pressing the rings 9 slightly together, thus taking up all of this wear and preventing any lost motion. In order to prevent the rings from working around upon the inclined surfaces 10 and causing the springs to come into contact with the connecting rod during operation, keys 13 may be inserted in one of the rods as shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to Figs. 5 to 9, respectively, a slight modification of the invention i shown in which but one ring is provided to take up the wear of the connecting rod and crank. This is most clearly shown in Fig. 6. The connecting rod 14 is of slightly modified form compared with connecting rod 5 and is provided with a relatively long inclined portion 15 about which the ring 16 fits. A. washer 17 placed at one end of the crank 4 retains a spring 18 in position which yieldingly presses against a flange 19 provided on the ring 16. Instead of the washer 17, the valve driver 20 may be used to retain the spring 18 in position, if desired.

From the above description it is thought that the operation of my improved construction will be obvious. However, a short description of the operation will be given. Referring to Fig. 7, the operating fluid is supplied through the passage 21 to a chest 22 from which it is distributed to the cylin- 'ders by means of a rotating valve 23, through of sufficient diameter. However, should it not be desired to use this valve driver for this purpose, a thin washer 17 may be interposed between the end of the crank 4 and the valve driver. While the engine is in operation the connecting rods are maintained in close proximity tothe crank & by means of the rings 9 or 19. It will be seen that as there is no direct force acting to separate the connecting rods 5 and 14 from the crank 4:, that no heavy strain is applied to the ring members 9 or 19, these members merely serving to hold the connecting rods properly in place upon the crank.

It is to be understood that the present showing and description disclose only certain specific embodiments of the present invention, and other forms and modifications are included within the spirit and scope thereof, as expressed in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a multiple cylinderreciprocating engine, a. crank pin, a plurality of connecting rods engaging said crank pin and means yieldingly engaging said connecting rods to retain them in engagement with the crank pin.

2. In a multiple cylinder reciprocating engine, a crank pin, a plurality of connecting rods engaging said crank pin, said connecting rods having an inclined section concentric with said crank pin, a ring surrounding said inclined section of the connecting rods and resilient means holding said ring yieldingly against said inclined section.

3. In a reciprocating engine, a crank pin, a connecting rod having a bearing surface engaging the crank pin and spring pressed retaining means engaging the connecting rod to hold the connecting rod and crank pin to- I gether.

4. In a reciprocating engine, a crank pin, a connecting rod having a bearing surface engaging the crank pin and having an inclined portion, retaining ring in engagement with said inclined portion of the connecting rod, and a spring holding said ring in place upon said inclined portion.

5. In a reciprocating engine, a crank pin,

a connecting rodhaving a bearing surface vengaging said crank pin and provided with an inclined surface portion, a ring shaped member inclosing the crank pin and the crank end of the connecting rod and flexible means: engaging said ring shaped member to move said member along said inclined surface portion to-retain said connecting rod in engagement with said crank.

6. In a reciprocating engine, a crank pin, a connecting rod having a bearing portion provided with an outer inclined surface portion engaging said crank pin, a ring shaped member inclosing the crank pin and the bearing portion of the connecting rod, and a spring engaging said ring shaped member to move said member along said inclined surface portion to retain said connecting rod in engagement with said crank.

'7. In an engine construction, a plurality of connecting rods operating upon a crank, said connecting rods at their crank ends having bearing portions engaging said crank and provided with inclined portions on the outer surface of said ends, a ring surrounding the inclined portions of said connecting rods and yieldable means holding said ring on said inclined portion.

8. In an engine conmruction, a plurality of connecting rods operating upon a crank, said connecting rods at their crank ends having bearing portions engaging said crank and provided with inclined portions. on the outer surface of said ends, a ring surrounding the inclined portions of said connecting rods and a plurality of spiral springs holding said ring on said inclined portion.

9. In an engine construction, a plurality of connecting rods operating upon a crank, said connecting rods at their crank ends having bearing portions engaging said crank and provided with oppositely disposed inclined portions on the outer surface of said ends, a pair of rings surrounding said inclined portions, and yieldable means extending between said rings to hold them in position upon the inclined portions of said connecting rods.

, 10. In an engine construction, a plurality of connecting rods operating upon a crank, said connecting rods at their crank ends having bearing portions engaging said crank and provided with oppositely disposed inclined portions on the outer surface of said ends, a pair of rings surrounding said inclined portions, and a plurality of spiral springs extending between said rings to hold them in position upon the inclined portions of said connecting rods.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

ARTHUR H. GIBSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

